Infection Preventionist

UVA Health • Charlottesville, VA

2d • $37 - $59 • Hybrid

About The Position

Infection prevention is a cornerstone of safe, high-quality care, and this role sits at the center of that mission across UVA Health. As an Infection Preventionist, you will directly shape how care is delivered by identifying risk, influencing clinical practice, and advancing system-wide infection prevention strategies that protect patients, staff, and the community. This is a highly specialized, consultative role within a leading academic medical center, offering the opportunity to partner with multidisciplinary teams, develop deep expertise in ambulatory and procedural infection prevention, and drive meaningful outcomes across a complex health system. This position blends clinical insight, epidemiology, and operational partnership in a fast-paced, highly interactive environment. You will function as both a subject matter expert and a collaborator, working across units, clinics, and departments to ensure best-in-class infection prevention practices are consistently applied. On a day-to-day basis, your work is both analytical and highly visible, requiring strong communication, relationship-building, and the ability to influence diverse clinical stakeholders.

Requirements

• 2 years of Infection Prevention experience
• Graduate of an accredited nursing program, Bachelor's of Sciences in Nursing preferred, Medical tech program (MT - ASCP); OR Masters in Public Health (MPH).
• Clinical experience in critical care, emergency or perioperative fields
• Completion of a hospital infection control course, e.g., APIC or SHEA fundamentals course
• Competency in Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint (create, edit and present PowerPoint slideshows), enter, manipulate and extract database information, and basic descriptive statistics e.g., Chi square, frequency analysis
• RN: Licensed to Practice as a Registered Nurse in the Commonwealth of Virginia, MT (ASCP), MPH or healthcare related Bachelor’s degree: None required.
• BLS certification (if working with patients).
• Must successfully obtain Certification in Infection Control (CIC) from the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology within two years of hire.

Nice To Haves

• National and local APIC membership

Responsibilities

• Continuously monitor and analyze infection data
• Review microbiology and laboratory reports to detect potential hospital-acquired infections and emerging trends
• Investigate infection events and assess patterns that may require intervention
• Translate data findings into actionable insights for clinical teams
• Guide isolation and transmission-based precautions
• Evaluate patient cases to determine appropriate isolation protocols
• Ensure alignment with regulatory standards and evidence-based practices
• Provide real-time consultation to frontline clinicians on infection risk
• Conduct proactive rounding and environment assessments
• Perform routine rounds in clinical and ambulatory areas to assess infection prevention practices
• Identify gaps in workflow, sanitation, or compliance and recommend improvements
• Partner with staff to reinforce best practices in real time
• Serve as a key partner to ambulatory and procedural clinics
• Collaborate closely with clinics utilizing scopes, probes, and sterilized instruments
• Provide oversight and guidance on high-level disinfection and instrument processing workflows
• Help standardize processes to ensure consistency in clean versus contaminated workflows
• Lead infection prevention efforts related to construction and facilities
• Participate in Infection Control Risk Assessments (ICRA) for construction and renovation projects
• Ensure appropriate infection prevention measures are in place to protect patients during environmental changes
• Educate, influence, and support clinical teams
• Deliver education sessions and just-in-time coaching on infection prevention practices
• Facilitate discussions and lead initiatives to drive compliance and continuous improvement
• Act as a trusted advisor to nurses, providers, and operational leaders
• Drive system-wide initiatives and compliance efforts
• Support infection prevention policies, regulatory readiness, and accreditation standards
• Collaborate with epidemiologists, physicians, and interdisciplinary teams on strategic initiatives
• Contribute to programs such as water safety, sterilization processes, and transmission prevention protocols

Benefits

• Comprehensive Benefits Package: Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Paid Time Off, Long-term and Short-term Disability, Retirement Savings
• Health Saving Plans, and Flexible Spending Accounts
• Certification and education support
• Generous Paid Time Off
• Relocation assistance may be available for qualified candidates.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level